One main way in which cinematic platformers are distinguished from other platform games is that their game mechanics and visual style have a greater degree of realism, closer to that of Beat 'em Up games than other platform games. Some examples of this:

Characters cannot instantly stop moving or instantly accelerate to their maximum walking/running speed; it takes time for them to decelerate or accelerate. Nor can they make an Instant 180 Degree Turn.

Characters have a maximum jump height that is about the same as that of real people, unlike in (again) Super Mario Bros. where characters can jump higher than they are tall. This means that the way to get to higher places might involve walking up steps, climbing up ropes, or clambering up ledges, since simply jumping up there is not an option.

When the player character collects an item, the game will show the character reaching for it and picking it up with their hand. By contrast, items in other platform games tend to just disappear when collided with by the player character.

Other typical characterstics of the genre include:

The gameplay screen will have few or no user interface elements, such as points, time counters, level numbers, character stats, etc.

Gameplay is usually linear, especially compared to that of Metroidvanias.

Another World was particularly notable for its complete lack of on-screen user interface elements during gameplay, and for its use of 2D vector graphics to achieve a much more detailed / less repetitive level design than its contemporaries.

The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, a 3D parkour game from the same time as the first Tomb Raider. Its authors call the original Prince of Persia their guiding line. The models look ugly by today's standards, though.

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